Gate and interlock for elevators



Dec. 30, 1947. v LE ROY H. KIESLING 2,433,763

' GATE AND, INTERLOCK FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1l 4 fil 4a 38 I 32 /3 p 111253 1. W Lnul BY mwmmlm Q .fi'n

egg aMh/l ATTORNEYS- Dec. 30, 1947. LE ROY H. KIESLING 2,433,763

GATE AND INTERLOCK FOR ELEVATORS 'Filed Aug. 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR L- H. Kms) n13 BYWMM,

K j Agm Patented Dec. 30, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GATE ANDINTERLOCK FOR ELEVATORS Le Roy H..Kiesling, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 26, 1943, Serial No. 500,055

14 Claims. 1

The illustrative disclosure herein is in certain aspects an embodimentof, and is an improvement on, the elevator system and gate constructiondisclosed in my prior copending application Serial No. 465,111, filedNovember 10, 1942 and which has since issued as Patent No. 2,411,882;and as with said prior application the improvement hereof is adapted tovarious practical uses, as on passenger or freight elevators, or fordumb waiters adapted to convey goods from fioor to fioor, preferablyunder electric drive and pushbutton control. The system may comprise oneor a plurality of cars traveling within a suitable hoistway. shaft ortrunk, between two or more fioors or stations, adapted for restaurant orfactory use, or between the decks of a ship. In these various instancesa gate is substantially essential for closing the gateway or eachgateway of the dumbwaiter or other elevator, at the front or the back ofthe car, or both,,to confine safely and prevent falling out of goods.

The general object of the present invention is to afford an elevatorsystem of greater efficiency, convenience and safety. Another object isto provide an improved and reliable control means for the car drive,operable from the condition of the gate whether open or closed and whichcan be compactly accommodated in the limited space usually available. Aparticular object is to improve and render more efficient thecombination of, and the connections between, the car gate and the powercontrol devices that are preferably mounted in fixed locations withinthe hoistway. Further objects and advantages will be explained in thefollowing description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention orwill be understood by those conversant with the subject. To theattainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consistsin the novel elevator system including novelfeatures of operation andcontrol and features of collapsible gate, as well as novel features ofcombination, arrangement and construction herein illustrated ordescribed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation view ofsufficient of an elevator system to illustrate the principles of theinvention, showing the gate in its lowered, expanded or closed position,and indicating the connections therefrom to the controller or switch boxmounted at a fixed position in the hoistway in relation to a givenstation or deck of the building or ship.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the elevator car shown in Fig. l, on thesame scale.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of themechanism shown in Fig, 2.

Fig. 4, on an intermediate scale,is a partial vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 4-4 of Fig.- 1, looking from the right, the gate beingshown in its raised, collapsed or open position, and there latched.

Figs. 5 and 6 and 7 are partial front elevation views on a scale largerthan that of Fig. 1 but smaller than that of Fig. 4 showing successivepositions of the car gate, or its top panel, as will be furtherdisclosed, the gate being in the process of being raised or opened, thereverse order indicating its closing movements.

Fig. 8 is an analytical diagram of the movements of the gate, withreference to the topmost panel or link-pair thereof, it being understoodthat the linkage therebelow follows the same action.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation view showing a modificationwherein certain gate movements, effected through resilient or springmeans and stop means in the main embodiment, may instead be effected bycam means.

The hoistway or trunk is not shown except to the extent that it isindicated by the shaft wall 9 in Fig. 1; the car l0 being shown as aconventional dumbwaiter, guided in its upward and downward travelingmovements by conventional guiding means, not shown, and the hoistingmeans or cables also being omitted as unnecessary .for a disclosure ofthe present invention. The

electric drive is usual, accompanied by electric control, conventionalpush-buttons or similar control devices at the respective floors orstations being understood.

The car ID as a structure is shown as comprising a ceiling or top wallII and a floor or bottom wall [2, the sunken ceiling being supported byupright or drop walls l3 from the right and left side walls M of thecar. The car may be open at the front or at the back, or at both frontand back, providing two gateways, the front one of which is shown asclosable by the collapsible gate 3|, the rear gateway being shownwithout such gate, for simplifying the disclosure. As best seen in thetop view in Fig. 3 each side wall 14 is shown as having an outwardlyextending fiangs l through which the walls are connected with the fourcorner uprights Hi. The frame parts l5 and 16 may in effect constitute achannel, at each front corner, these two channels facing toward eachother and providing vertical grooves or tracks for the upward anddownward movements of certain parts of the collapsible gate. The variousframe parts maybe permanently interconnected, as by spot welding, into arigid car structure.

Across the top of the car, above each gateway,; is provided a lintel orfixed horizontal beam l'l.

This is shown as mounted by occasional'bolts Hi to the front drop walll3 which supports the ceiling II; and for convenience the extreme end ofthe lintel may be extended into the gate-guiding grooves formed by thecorner uprights or angle pieces 16, near the top of the car front.Thelintel or top cross beam I1 is shown as formed with guiding andlimiting slots 54' near the left and 53 near the right ends of thelintel, laterally disposed.

Referring next to the operating control means, there is shown at a fixedposition in the hoistway a control member or movable arm '20, or in thiscase two such arms in parallel relation, carrying at their extremities acontact piece, shoe or cam 19; and one of the arms being mounted on theswitchv box 21, containing the necessary switch devices and circuitconnections, usually operating :through relays, controlled by theswinging movements of the switch arm 20 to render operative orinoperative the electric or power-drive. Cooperating with the switch arm20 and its carried contact piece I9 is a complementary contact piece oractuator 22, shown in the form of a roller adapted to engage the contactor cam l9, and being shiftably carried upon a shank or bar 23 mounted toslide rightwardly and leftwardly adjacent to the lintel ll. By theshifting movements of the shank. or slider 23, vas will be described thecontact piece or roller 22 .is shifted either to clear the complementarycontact or cam l9, when the gate is fully closed as in Fig. 1, or

to stand outwardly to the left, when .the gate is substantially or fullyopen, to cooperate with the contact or shoe [9 and thereby cause theswinging of the switch arm or controller 20 to discontinue the powerdrive. r

The shiftable carrier or slider bar 23 has shown attached to it anenlargement or collar 24, near the left side of the car, and this collarand the shank are shown pressed strongly leftward by a resilient meansor spring 25, preferably a helical spring under compression surroundingthe shank and at its righthand end engaging a fixed abutment 21. Theshank may consist of a bar of square or circular cross section, with itsleft end having its bearing in an aperture formed in the fixed uprightwalls 13 and I4, and further to the right the bar conveniently slidingthrough the fixed hearing or abutment 2 shown as bolted to the frontwall 13, Within the space above the car ceiling II. In using therelative terms of position or movement, left or right, leftward,rightward and the like, in specification and claims, this is a matter ofdescription and not intended as a limitation.

Referring next to the collapsible gate 31 this takes its mounting andsupport upon the elevator car lintel l1, being there hung dependingly sothat the collapsing or opening 6f the gate is ,by

upward'movement, a release of the" gate acting through gravity to expandit downwardly into closed position; this being a, safety feature shownin said prior application. The gate is indicated as being lowered orclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, while in Figs. 5 and 6 it is in the processof being opened or raised, Figs. 4 and '7 showing the gate completelyraised into open position and there latched.

In, general the gate structure is similar to that in said priorapplication, being composed of a pivoted series of linkage members,preferably of g the familiar lazy-tongs type, but vertically dising. anvicey sa posed, and this linkage assembly being adapted to distend orspread transversely apart with the longitudinal collapse of the gateduring its open- Specifically the gate is shown constructed of a seriesof non-swingable but vertically movable horizontal or transverse gatebars 32, and a similar bottom bar 33 carrying an operating handle 34,together with a pivoted series of pairs of swin'gable crossed links 41and 48 between such bars, the slotted lintel l1 constituting the topmostor fixed bar of the gate. The transverse bars 32 and 33 are guided intheir up and down movements by the grooves or channels formed by thecorner uprights it, while the bars themselves form slotted guides forthe ends of thelinks, as will be further described. When the gate hasbeen fully lifted and opened, as by means of the handle 34, it maybethere latched against the force of gravity, as inFig. 4, by means of alatch finger, 31 projecting rearwardly from oneor both ends of the bar33, alongside of the. side wall l4, and each adapted to be latched orhooked into the notch of a latch lug 38 mounted on the wall; part 3101138 being beveled, or 31 being inclined, to clear 38;

Extending between the several transverse bars I11, 32 and 33, are thepairs of crossed links, mutually pivoted, comprising front links 41 andback links48, centrally pivoted to each other in each panel at theircrossing points by pivot pins 49. The lower ends of the links of eachpair are pivoted to the upper ends of the links of the next lower pairby means of end pivots which also constitute pins, each extendingthrough both links and rearwardly therefrom through guide slots 5|formed in the transverse'bars' 32 and 33;

while the uppermost front link 41 has a special pivot pin 53, extendingthrough the to left end of this link and thence through a dummy pacingpiece or washer52 and thence through a guiding slot .54 in the lintel,and thence rearwardly for connection as'by rigidmounting on the collar24 which is fast upon the carrier shank or slider bar 23 that carriesthe actuator or roller through which thecontroller' 20 of the switch 2iis operated. Thus is afforded a simple or direct mechanical connectionfrom the gate left side, or rather from a lefthand portion of thelinkage assembly, ofthe'gate, preferably from the topmost lefthand.link-end 0r the'pivot pin 53 there of to the controlling elementsincluding the actuator carried by the car to actuate th'ehswitch armmounted 'inthe hoistway. The topmost rear link 48 carries at its upperright end apivot pin 55 which extends through and is guided by thehorizontal slot 56 formed near the righthand end of the lintel l'l.

By thesep-ing-and s'lot mountings 5356 the linkage'assembly' 4T50 whichcharacterizes the lazytongs kind of gate is mounted at or on the lintelwith lateral or horizontal play such that, during upward mnapsgtnedirection or disten- 'sion of the assembly, whether leftward orrightward, can be predetermined or regulated, and the same with thelateral contraction, or the sequence thereof, during gate closing. I

The various transverse slots 5|, 54 and 56 in which the pivots or pins50, 53 and 55 have play are preferably slots of limited extent,especially in respect to the slots 54 and 56 in the lintel. The slotsare so arranged that when the gate is fully closed the pins 53 and 55come to rest at the inner ends of the slots, as in Fig. l, which causesthe linkage assembly of the gate to take a central or symmetricalinitial position, the righthand slot 55 specifically having its left endacting as a stop (e' Fig. 8) for the pin 55, the spring 25 pressingleftwardly and holding the pin yieldingly against the stop, With thecrossing pivot 49 at the initial vertical axis or center line (:vr Fig.8) of the gate. When the gate later has become fully open the pins restat the outer ends of the slots, as in Fig. 7, and there the left pin 53is in stopped position against the left end (6 Fig. 8) of the slot 54,with the pivot 49 again at the normal or initial center line, so thatagain the assembly 41-50 laterally assumes a symmetrical or centralposition. The reverse or closing movements are just the opposite ofthose described, and when the gate is fully closed the ends of itsbottom bar 33 come to rest on a pair of bumpers or stops 35 shown asangles welded upon the side wall flanges l5.

Thus at the beginning and close of each complete opening or closingmovement of the collapsible gate the gate linkage assembly takes adefinite central position but, as will be more fully described inconnection with Figs. 5 to '7, the symmetrical positioning of the gatelinkage does not prevail during the actual shift between extremepositions. The linkage assembly instead is 'susceptible of a certainloose play leftwardly and rightwardly, and during this period iscontrolled by the operation of the strong spring 25, coacting with theslots or stops, and affording a particular and useful action which ismade available by this invention for the more effective operation of theconnections including the shiftable shank 23 and the actuator 22thereon, for the more reliable operation of the power controller 20 andswitch 2| in the hoistway. In these respects the present inventiondistinguishes from the arrangement shown in the prior applicationwherein are opposite positioning springs, working between a centralabutment, and symmetrically opposite sliders to which the gate top linksare pivoted, so that the gate is in a resiliently floating condition andthe springs tend always to maintain the gate in a central position. Inboth cases the spring action has a tendency to spread apart the gatepivot pins and thereby to aid the distension of the gate linkage and itsrising or collapsing movements, although insufiiciently strong toovercome gravity or to lift the gate without supplemental manual orother eifort.

The practical operation of the described gate apparatus may besubstantially as follows, with reference to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7 and thediagram Fig. 8. Assuming that the gate is initially closed as in Figs.1, 2 and 3, it may be described, with reference to its linkage assembly,as longitudinally expanded downwardly but transversely shrunk,contracted or narrowed in its width determined by the lines of its linkend pivots 50, 53 and 55. The crossing pivot 49 is initially on thenormal or initial vertical center line :r-x, as

in'the diagram; the pins 53 and 55 areat or near the inner ends of slots54 and 56, at a and a on the diagram; and the pins 50, 50' are at b andb near the inner ends of the slots 5| in the top crossbar 32. The partsare thus held initially by the pin 55 bearing resiliently against thestop e at the left end of slot 56 under the pressure of the sprin 25,and this centralizes the linkage system and positions the actuator 22 inits rightward or retracted inoperative position.

Upon opening the gate by lifting upon handle 34 or otherwise, the gateand its linkage assembly are longitudinally collapsed but the linkage istransversely distended, with a widening or spreading as between the leftand right link end pivots 50, 53 and 55. In this opening movement thestrong spring affords assistance, assuming part of the gravity weight ofthe gate by the fprevails only during the early part of the lift whenits compression is greatest, which is while the inertia is beingovercome and therefore when it is of greatest usefulness.

The opening lift of the gate and its linkage may be considered in twophases as regards the regulated direction of linkage distensionleftwardly or rightwardly. During the first phase up to a transitionlevel c--c' the bias created by the spring pressure acting on thelinkage causes a general leftward tendency, so'that the top left pivotpin 53 shifts outwardly or leftwardly from a to d along the slot 54,while the righthand pin 55 remains held in its inner or lefthandposition a due to the stop 6' opposing the spring. Therefore during thisfirst phase the entire transverse distension of the gate linkage occursat its lefthand side. When the gate has been lifted a short distance,for example about one-eighth way up, the parts come to the positionshown in Fig. 5 wherein the pin 53 has reached about the middle of theslot 54; and as the lifting continues until the gate is about quarteropened the pin 53 reaches the left end or stop limit of the length ofthe slot 54, the parts coming to the transition position shown in Fig.6. Here the rising lefthand pin 50 has reached the transition point e onthe diagram, along the outwardly inclined arc 19-0, with center at a,while pin 53 has shifted horizontally from point a to point dcorresponding to stop e of the lefthand lintel slot. The crossing pivot49 has swung up and leftward, from its initial position 1 on the initialvertical gate linkage axis 11-1: to the transition position ,1 on thetransition axis yy, along the arc f-g similar to arc bc but of half itsdimension. The righthand pin 50' has risen vertically to transitionpoint 0' along path b'c'; while pin 55 has remained unmoved, in contactagainst stop e due to the pressure of spring 25.

In partial review, the linkage top pins 53 and 55 cooperating with theirstops e and e and the resilient or spring means 25 constitute aprovision or means affording a predetermined linkage regulation whereby,during the early first phase of gate opening rise and collapse, it isadapted to cause the lateral distension of the linkage assembly to takeplace substantially wholly leftwardly for emphatic early movement of theactuator to cut off the operating power during such first phase of theopening; with other actions during the second phase and return orclosing movements as will be described,

By this special action, wherein during the first phase the gate linkageis in effect displaced bod- 7 'ily 'leftwardly, .its :vertical :centerjlinesbeing so :displace'd,:the" outward throw of the actuator corroller;22 is in effect more thandoubled in both 'spee'diiand distance. iThe spreading or lateral distension of:the.gate linkage which. inthenprior 5 appiication is apportioned equally toward .left i .and rightis herein concentrated leftward; giving a throw of the:left side of sthe gate linkage, and of the actuator, which is the'sumof .the half-;distension and'the extentof bodily shift, which two factors may .or maynot be equal. The cooperationof the spring, underrestraint of-stops e.and c, with the'leftwardly shiftable gate link- :age constitutes-meansoperative during the early .part of-the-opening lift .of the gate forthrusting effectively leftwardly the gate linkage, giving the .actuatorthat much throw in addition to thehalf of the-e-Xtentof distension of.the widthof the gate linkage. In itheillustrated case the totalleftward'throw equals the entire amount,'rather "than half thereof, of.the gate linkage spreading .or distension duringits partial closing tothe transition point.

Thus the controlling .movement of the carrier .bar 2'3 and actuator 22is greatly accentuated .and expedited andtherefore rendered more ;sensitive. and responsive. A more reliable control .over-thepower drive isafforded, so much so that a condition whereinthe .gate remains onlyslight- .ly open issufficient to cause thethrowing. off of thepower,preventingoperation of the car. In .this first phase allof thetransverse movement of the gate linkage'is at the left or control side,Figs.' 5. and 6 showing that at the right side the pivot pin 55 has notshifted in the lintel slotfit, nor..moved from Jitsstope', and the rightside vandlink pivots .of the gate. linkage have not shift- .edtransversely.

.To take a specific case, if the .actuator is to shift outwardly say 2inches, at the left side as shown, thisdistance corresponds to a-d onthe diagram, Ifithe actuator initially clears the con- .trollerarm 129,or rather its contact shoe H], by about /2 inch, that much of the shiftis used taking up .the clearance. .The next inch may be used in swingingthe controllerm enough to reverse the switch itself and so break thepower connection; and the remaining inch may be idle .movement whileimproving assurance'of switch reversal. Therefore the first half of the.shift from a to 11 brings about thecut-off ofpower,"

terior switch in well known ways-to respond to .a relatively.shortenedextent -.of control move- .ment.

.As the described ,gateopening movement has continued. we have inFig. i6arrived atthe transition leve1.c--c' of Fig. 8 that the leftwarddistensioncauses, which may be in the neighborhood .of one quarter ofthe complete gate opening, namely, by the pin 53 reaching the stop eatthe end of the slot 5 and the entire gate linkage I being thenunsymmetrically displaced toward the .left as .seenin Fig. .6,.withdisplacement of its vertical center line from .r-a: .to y 1 Fig.8-

From this point onward the continued lift is in the second phaseof theaction, and theremaimng action is preferably. as follows, resulting inrestoring thegate :rightwardly .into- .-a :symmetrical final position.The further distension or transverse widening of the g-ate-linkagethencausestherighthandpivot pin-55w slide along :outwardly or to the rightin the lintel .slot 56.

This is due'to leftward distension being stopped by contact of pin :53on stop 6. .During this, phase the pin 55 travels from the positionshown .-in --Fig..6'to itsfullzoutward position shownin Fig. 7, which isreached as the gate becomes fully opened and collapsed. The gatelinkage, having taken an unsymmetrical position from the starting of itsopening movement hasrnow again attained a symmetrical position, at the.end of its complete longitudinal collapse and transverse distension,the ,pins .53 and 55. occupying the .outerends of path..c--dto point d.The rightpin 55 has moved rightwardlyfrompgint a to d. The rightpin.hastraveled the upward arc path c'd', with .its arc centerat d.

The crossing pivot E9 has risenfrom g to h along the ar.c-path.,gh, thusshiftingrightward from axis 'yy to r-x.

The operative movement of the actuator '22 therefore occurs whollywithin the firstphaseof the gate opening movement, and it remainsin itsmost outward position during the second phase. In the return movement,when the gate is'being closed, the same advantageous conditions prevail,the actuator remaining'in its outward position during the firstdescending shift in the lowering-of the gate, and only then'commences toretract, by movements 'which'will'be understoodbytaking the figures intheir reverse order,

.namely, Fig. 7 and then.Fig. .6 andthen Fig. 5, the full retraction ofthe actuator not occurring until'the complete closing of the gate asshown in Fig. 1; andthe power drive'remaining off until late in'thedescending movement, when thegate is nearly closed; all justthereverseof the opening action.

Regarding'the'springeopposing stops 2 and 6',

these are each atthe left end of'its slot 54 or 56, the other ends ofthe slotsbeing'without'function and'the "slots beingextended'right'wardly to a convenient'distance to ensure ample room for"play. The stop e at the left end of the right slot .56 may beconsidered the 'firstphase stop, taking the spring pressure between-fullclosed and transitionpositions,whileithe stop e..in .slot '54isthesecond-phase stop, taking the spring pres- ..sure'from the.transitionto thefullopen position.

The use of the leftslot endsasstops is convenient, but either of thepins .53 and L55-could'be stopped otherwise, forexample astothe stop cthis could well .be .ajlug .or shoulder on the carrier bar .23

.lQcated-toabut against the wall 'l3, M or other fixed part when thegate rise :reaches transition of stopeinslotfifl; and Fig. 3.shows-thismanner -,of stoppage by collarf-ace .58 meeting wall 13 as ,pin.53.meets the-left end: of .slot" 54.

Thedescribed cooperation of the stopsreande' and: spring 2 5; is to givethe bodily i'shiftablea gate Jinkage a leftward shift during theaearlygpart of .its .closingelift.:thusquicklytoicut .off drive power,

.9 withi'preferably a rightwardcountershift there after; this motionbeing well represented by the path.f-g-h of the top crossing pivot 49 inthe Fig. 8 diagram. A similar action can'be other- Wise brought about.as by other mechanical elements cooperating with the crank linkage,such as toggles, gearing, wedges or cams, an example of thelast-mentioned being shown in Fig- 9, wherein the crossing pivot 49 isextended as a pin or follower into the slot or groove fg+-h of a cam 60mounted near the central upper part of the gateway. If the spring 25 orequivalent is retained the cam could be open at its righthand side, butis shown as a closed cam, giving posia tive control of .the movements ofthe pin 49' and therefore of the bodilyleftward and rightward movementsof the gate linkage during its opening and closing. The cam shape isshown as approximately similar to the pivot path f-g-h in the diagramFig. 8; but in Fig. 9 the shape is somewhat idealized and can be givenany desired contour, so as to bring about the discontinuance of power asearly as desired during the lifting of the gate, and the restoration ofpower as late as desired during the closing of the gate. The use ofcooperating stops and a resilient bias means or spring however ispreferred as usually simpler, cheaper and more reliable. In eachembodiment the linkage-type gate shifts upwardly for closing and viceversa, and has means for causing the horizontal bodily displacement ofits linkage synchronously with its opening and closing, and meanswhereby such displacement causes :the

drive to be rendered inoperative or operative. The cam 60 thus is analternative means operative during distension to ;take placesubstantially wholly leftwardly for early movement of the actuator tocut off the operating power during such first phase of gate opening.

There has thus been described an illustrative elevator system with cargate and power control features embodying the present invention; but

sincevarious matters of combination, arrange-;

ment and constructionmay be varied within the essence of the inventionit is not intended to limit the same to such matters except so far asset forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a power-driven elevator system wherein is a car traveling in ahoistway, a collapsible car gate of the lazytongs kind comprising alinkage assembly of crossed and mutually pivoted swinging links hungfrom the car gateway lintel whereby the gate is collapsible upwardly foropening and said linkage assembly undergoes lateral distension duringupward collapse, and vice versa; and a movable actuator arranged toactuate a switch controlling the power operation of the car, andconnections from a lefthand portion of the linkage assembly to saidactuator whereby such lateral distension of the linkage assembly duringgate opening causes actuator movement and switch operation to renderinoperative the power drive and vice versa; and characterized in thatthe linkage assembly is mounted on the lintel with lateral horizontalplay such that during gate opening the direction of linkage lateraldistension, can be predetermined, and further in that means is providedoperative during the early first phase of the opening rise and collapseof the gate adapted to cause the linkage distension to take placesubstantially wholly leftwardly for early movement of the actuator tocut off the operating power during such first phase of gate opening.

2. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein 10 the power-controllingswitch is mounted at the left side of the hoistway and has a shiftablecutofi arm, and the leftward distension of the linkage assembly actstothrust leftwardly the actuator to protrudefrom the car in position toshift said arm of the switch and thereby cut off power.

3. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the connections from thelinkage assembly to the said actuator extend from the topmost lefthandlink-end to the actuator.

4. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the connections from thelinkage assembly to the actuator include a horizontal slidebar carryingthe actuator and extend from the topmost lefthand link-end of theassembly to said slidebar and actuator.

5. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the gate mounting is bytransverse guiding slots near the lintel ends in which slots play thetop pivot pins of the links of the topmost panel.

6. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the gate mounting is bytransverse guiding slots near the lintel ends in which slots play thetop pivot pins of the links of the topmost panel; and the aforesaidmeans causing early leftward distension during the opening rise anddistension of the gate consists of stop means comprising a firstphasestop establishing the initial linkage lateral position and a secondphase stop establishing the final position, with spring means thrustingthe linkage toward such stops.

'7. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the aforesaid meanscausing early leftward distension during the opening rise and distension'of the gate is further operative beyond a transition position during asecond phase to cause rightward distension of the linkage.

8. An elevator system as in claim 1 and wherein the aforesaid meanscausing early leftward dis-I tension during the opening rise anddistension of the gate is further operative beyond a transi;-. tionposition during a second phase to cause right ward distension of thelinkage; and during returnclosing movements causes actions in reverseorder whereby the power is not reconnected until the gate issubstantially closed.

9. In a power-driven elevator system wherein is a car traveling in ahoistway, a collapsible car gate of lazytongs kind comprising a linkageassembly of crossed and mutually pivoted swinging links hung from thecar gateway lintel whereby the gate is collapsible upwardly for openingand said linkage assembly undergoes horizontal distension during upwardcollapse, and vice versa; and a movable actuator arranged to actuate aswitch controlling the power operation of the car, and a connection fromthe topmost lefthand link-end of the linkage assembly to said actuatorwhereby such distension of the linkage assembly during gate openingcauses actuator movement andswitch operation to render inoperative thepower drive and vice versa; and characterized in that the linkageassembly is mounted on the lintel with horizontal play such that duringopening the direction of linkage distension, leftward or rightward, canbe predetermined, a spring arranged to thrust yleldingly leftwardly thelinkage assembly and connected actuator, a first stop operating duringthe early first phase of opening rise to prevent leftward movement ofthe topmost right-hand link-end whereby the linkage distension takesplace leftwardly only for early cut-off of power, and a second stoplimitingthe leftward movement of the actuator during the second openingphase whereby distension takes place gazetteer rightwardly ithrough suchsecond. phase; with.

actions in reverse? order duringegateclosing;

a 110;, In; a; powersdrivenpelevator: system ofthe kindzdescribed; a cargategoi thet ivotedi linkage or lazyitongs type. mounted; on:the=-linteli and collapsible upwardly-and expansible downwardly foropening: and: closing respectively:- the gate, suchymounting oi-the gateupon thellintel permitting. lateral distensicnzand' contraction actionsof the gate linkage duringgateopehingand-clos ing; in combinationwith-*meansoperable for causing; suchlateral linkage actions and thuspre'determini'ng the direction of lateral distension of'the linkagesynchronously with thegate openingand vice versatsaiddirectionv-predetermining means tending to hold the linkage againstlateral di'stensionatafirst side t'hereby causing linkage distjensiontota'ke tplace at the: other or second side, and operativefrneans wherebysuch lateral distension of; the gatelinkage at: the second side causesthezpower? drive of the-canto be rendered inoperative when thegate isopened.

11.. The=carr gateiasz-in claim and wherein saiddirectionepredetermining means includes not :onlysaidi'firstiholdingfmeansg tending to hold thezlinkage: against:lateral-distension atthe first" side;. for; therebycausing: theadistension to occur at the. second side duringtthe initial openingactiom but; a" second: holding means; acting to.

limit' the; lateral distension; at the second side,

for thereby causing the: further distension to' occur at the firstside;

12. The'cargate as inclaim 10 andiwherein said"direction-predetermining: means includes not: onlysaidilinkagerholdingmeans, comprising holds thefirst side of thelinkagethereby-to hold? the :linkage against "lateral distension: at thefirst" side; i; whereby to: cause-thewdistension to occur at the:second, --side1- during the, initial; gate opening" action-,- but -;alsoaseconddinkagie holding means;-

comprisingrsa stops at thesecond: side: against which the springpressurelholds the-second side ofi the linkagefthereby' to limit the:lateral: distension. at the secondfsidegwhereby to cause the'furthendistension to occur at the first side: during the further opening of Ithe gate 13; In. a power-driven elevator" system. of the kind described,a: car gate comprising a pivoted linkage mounted on. the lintel'andcollapsible upwardly for opening: it and vice versa, such mounting ofthellin'kage upon the 'lintel' permitting-lateral distension of thelink'age during opening,-in combination with-control means operable forcausingsuch'lateral distension from a first side toward the second sideandthen back toward the first side during-the gate opening, means tocontrol the power'operation ofthe car, and means whereby such lateraldistensionof the gate linkage to said second side causes thepowercontrol means to render inoperative the; drive of the car when'thegateis opened. 7 Y

14. An elevator system as in claim 13 and wherein saiddistension-controlling' means comprises stops at the first and secondsides respectively each to restrain shift ofits linkage side towardthesec'ond side, and yieldable means cooperative with said first sidestop tohold the linkage with its vertical axis at an initial positionwhen; the gate is closed; the" said stops and said yieldab'lemeansconstituting a cooperative mechanism causing linkage distension duringgate" opening first toward the second side and later toward thefirstside whereby the linkage vertical axis is" brought back; substantiallyto initial'position'during the later portion of such opening:

IE-ROY'H: KIESLINGL REFERENCES "CITED" The follgwingyreierences are ofrecord in the fileofthis patent:

UNIT D STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,411,882 Kiesling ..sun.Dec: 3,1946'

